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A self-protective sensor

“This unit is more than an automative sensor; it protects and stabilizes itself against malfunction.”

Integrated electrical monitoring

The device combines a sensor and other electrical components on a printed-circuit board. The electrical components protect the sensor from overvoltage and make it EMC-safe. The PC-board with the components is fixed in a fastener which ensures its exact position and relieves strain on cables, while a cover protects it.

Stability and accuracy

Sensors with additional electrical components have more stable output signals than single sensor elements. A complex protective circuit in the Electronic Control Unit is no longer necessary. The fastener ensures the exact position of the PC-board and of the sensor under the cover. This increases the accuracy of the sensor signal.

Protective pot, cover and cap

A customer needed a temperature sensor with a capacitor, plus parallel and series resistors: a capacitor for EMC-protection; series resistance for protection against voltage spikes; and parallel resistance for detecting damaged or missing sensors. Environmental requirements (dramatic temperature changes) were extremely high. The project began with internal technology to find the best material for the PC-board, and then optimal potting material. The solution was a PC-board of aluminum or ceramics, with a special temperature-conductive enclosure.

High-tech applications

With this technology, Nexans is able to offer a very robust temperature sensor, incorporating integrated electrical components. More than simply sense external conditions, it is both self-monitoring and self-corrective. The implications of the technology apply to more than just temperature sensors. The results can also be used for other sensor elements: for example, entrance hall sensors, aircraft skin air-speed indicators, motion sensors, robotics, underwater equipment, and advanced aerospace applications. Up until now, no such units were available on the market.